Cigarette container



J. W. MADDOX CIGARETTE CONTAINER Oct. 29, 1929.

Filed May 24, 1928 51m-vento@ g 1.1M M a d d x,

Min'm.

Patented Oct. 29, 1929 UNITED STATES JOHN W. MAnnoX, or MARION, MARYLAND CIGARETTE CONTAINER Application mea may 24,

This invention relates to special receptacle-s and more particularly toa container adapted to receive cigarettes and the like.

Oney object of the invention is to provide a container in which cigarettes may be safely carried in a 4pocket without danger of their becoming damaged b the package being crushed and also witiout danger of their slipping out of the package.

Another object of the invention is Vto provide a cigarette container including a main receptacle into which ts an inner receptacle and to further provide means for elevating the inner receptacle after a cover for the main receptacle has been opened so that cigarettes in the innerreceptacle will be projected out of the Ymain receptacle where they may be easily extracted.V

Another object of the vinvention is to so form and mount theele'vating means for the inner receptacle that, when the yinner receptacle is in its lowered or retracted position, the elevating means will be embedded in the bottom of the main receptacle where it will be out of the .way and not liable to be accidentally` caught when removing the container from a pocket.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure l is a prespective view of the improved cigarette container, the cigarettes with which the inner receptacle is filled beingindicated by dotted lines;

F ig. 2 is-a vertical sectional view through the container with the inner receptacle in its retracted position and the cover of its outer receptacle closed, and

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View through the container.

The main receptacle, which is indicated by the numeral l, is of a flat oblong shape so that it may be placed in a pocket without occupying too much room.' The walls ofthe receptacle Vare preferably formed of sheet 192s.v serial No. 280,267.

about the upper end portion of the receptacle and is hingedly connected therewith, as shown at 4. It will thus be seen that there has been provided a main receptacle which will be light in weight but at the same time strong and cannot be easily crushed. Therefore, the cigarettes will be'protected and prevented from being damaged by pressure accidentally applied to the container or pocket in which the container is placed.

The inner receptacle 5 into which the cigarettes are placed may have its walls formed of paper but its bottom 6 preferably'consists of a thin strip of wood, although thick cardboard or other rigid material may be employed. The inner receptacle maybe filled with cigarettes at the factory and the cigarettes sold together with the inner and outer receptacles orjthe outer rece tacle may be sold as a separate article of manufacture and the cigarettes packed in the inner receptacle for sale in which case the inner receptacle will be provided with means to close its upper end but the closure means would have to be easily removable. It will also be obviousthat the cigarettes could be soldl in the type of package ordinarily used for cigarettes and when bought removed from the original package and placed in the inner receptacle of the container. It will thus be seen that. the improved container may be employed as an interior container for cigarettes placed upon the market or sold as a separate article of manufacture and the cigarettes placed therein by the user. f

The walls of the main 'container are of greater depth than a cigarette and, therefore', cigarettes placed in the inner container will "have their outer ends below the level of the open upper end of the main container under normal conditions, as shown in Fig. 2. This would make it diicult to remove a cigarette when the cover 3 is opened and I have, therefore, provided means to'elevate the inner container and thereby cause the cigarettes to project upwardly through `the open Iupperend of the main container. This ejecting means or elevating means consists of strips 7 which are pivotally mounted in a slot 8 formed longitudinally inthe bottom 2 of the main container through the medium of a pin 9 which extends transversely through the bottom of the container. The end portions of the slot communicate with depressions 10 and 11V formed in the inner and outer faces of the bottom 2 and the ends of the strips 7 are twisted to form longitudinally curved heads 12 and flat handles 13. The bottom of the main receptacle' is of such thickness that when the strips are moved to a folded position by the weight of the inner container the heads and handles of the pivoted strips constituting the elevating means will be prevented from proj ecting above and below the bottom. Therefore, there will be no danger of the handles catching when the cigarette container is in a pocket. Vhen it is desired to remove a cigarette from the container, it is merely necessary to swing the cover 3 to an opened position and after grasping t-he handles 13 between a thumb and finger apply pressure to force the handles toward each other. This causes the inner end portions of the strips to be moved upwardly and the heads 12 will apply pressure to the bottom of the inner receptacle and the pressure will cause the inner receptacle to be forced upwardly until movement Vof the' upper portions of the strips toward each other is stopped by contact with an abutment 14 which extends across the slot above the pivot 9. As soon as a cigarette has been removed from theinner receptacle, the handles will be released and the weight of the cigarettes and inner receptacle will carry the inner receptacle downwardly and return the inner receptacle and elevating strips Vto the normal position shown in F ig. 2.

Vhile the invention has been illustrated as a container for cigarettes, it will be understood that 'it may hold cigars, stogies and the like and that it may be of any size desired according to the articles and number thereof to be accommodated.

Having thus described the invention, I claim: s

1. A cigarette container comprising a main receptacle open at its top and having a bottom formed with an opening, an inner receptacle slidable into and out of the main receptacle through the open top lthereof and normally in a lowered retracted position, and means to elevate thev inner receptacle pivotally carried by the bottom of the main receptacle and having ya portion extending throughy the opening in the bottom and adapted to be grasped when the said means is to be operated to cause the inner receptacle to be moved upwardly and cigarettes n contained therein projected upwardly out of the upper end of the main receptacle.

2. A cigarette container comprising a main receptacleopen at its top and havingits bottom formed with a slot, an inner receptacle slidably received in said main receptacle and `having a rigid bottom normally resting upon the bottom of the main receptacle, and means to elevate said inner receptacle Vand cause cigarettes contained therein to project out of the main receptacle,l said means consisting of strips pivotally mounted in said slot in crossed relation to each other with their inner ends bearing against the bottom of the inner receptacle and the outer ends adapted to be grasped and moved towards each other to swing the strips about their pivot and elevate the inner receptacle. l

3. A cigarette container comprising a main receptacle open at its top and having its bottom formed with a slot, yan inner receptacle slidably received in said main receptacle and having a rigid bottom normally resting upon the bottom of the main receptacle, and means to elevate said innerreceptacle and cause cigarettes contained therein to project out of the main receptacle, said meanscon- Y vreceptacle open at itstopand having its bottom vformed with a slot, an inner receptacle slidably received in said main receptacle and having a rigid bottom normally resting upon the bottom of the main receptacle,fmeans to elevate said inner receptacle andV cause'cigarettes contained thereinto project out of the main receptacle, said means consisting of strips pivotally mounted in said slot `in crossed relation to each other with their inner ends curved longitudinally and kbearing against the bottom of the inner receptacle and their outer ends formed with handles to be grasped when moving the strips to swing their ends towards each other and elevate the inner receptacle, and means to limit movement of the strips in a receptacle elevating direction, the inner and outersurfaces of the bottom of said main receptacle being formed with pockets communicating withthe slot and of a depth to receive the ends of the strips when the inner receptacleis in a retracted position. Y

5. A cigarette container comprising a main receptacle having a bottom and upstanding walls, a cover for the upper end of said receptacle movable into and out of a closed p0- sition, the bottom having a longitudinally extending slot formed therein and its inner and outer faces formed with recesses communicating with end portions of the slot, an inner receptacle fitted into the main receptacle and slidable out ofthe same through the open Vupper end thereof when the cover of the inner receptacle and their outer ends bent to form finger-engaging heads, the heads and feet of said strips being received in said recesses when the inner receptacle is resting upon the bottom of the main receptacle.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

JOHN W.,MADDOX. [L 5.] 

